Freethought of the Day

Would you like to start your day on a freethought note? "Freethought of the Day" is a daily freethought calendar brought to you courtesy of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, highlighting birthdates, quotes, and other historic tidbits.

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September 3

Viktor E. Lennstrand (Swedish freethought rally)

On this date in 1889, 5,000 freethinkers gathered in Lill-Jans to protest the tyranny of the Christian Church (Lutheran) in Sweden. The rally was organized by Swedish freethinker Viktor E. Lennstrand, whose first public freethought lecture, "Is Christianity a Religion for our Time?," was raided at Upsala University by police authorities on Sept. 25, 1886. Lennstrand was forced to resign his post at the university. Moving to Stockholm, he proceeded to give weekly freethought lectures, critical of Christianity, throughout 1887 and the spring of 1888. That October, he was sentenced to three months for blasphemy. In November, he was sentenced to an additional three months, and in December to another six months for the same crime. Lennstrand, poorly treated in prison, became perilously ill. Public outcry persuaded King Oscar II to free him. The King pardoned Lennstrand on May 2, 1889. In addition to the mass rally Lennstrand organized in 1889, that year he collected more than 8,000 signatures by Swedes protesting such prosecutions and censorship of freethought. In a postscript, Lennstrand was elected to the People's Congress in 1893.

Freethought of the Day

Would you like to start your day on a freethought note? "Freethought of the Day" is a daily freethought calendar brought to you courtesy of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, highlighting birthdates, quotes, and other historic tidbits.

If you would like to be placed on the "Daily Freethought" e-mail list to automatically receive the calendar notice, log in and edit your email settings (My Membership). Or, email and include your first and last name with your request for verification purposes. This email service is limited to members of the Freedom From Religion Foundation or subscribers to Freethought Today. To become an FFRF member, click here.